Package construction

ABSTRACT

A package for food or the like comprises an open top tray closed by a transparent membrane and an opaque panel overlying the membrane to protect the tray&#39;&#39;s contents from exposure to light. The cover panel is scored longitudinally from end to end adjacent one side edge so as to form a hinged edge portion of the panel which may be swung upwardly relative to the membrane from one side of the tray to permit the contents at the one side of the tray to be inspected visually. The cover panel is slitted to form an inspection flap swingable about the score line, but from the opposite side of the tray. Either or both of the swingable portions of the panel may be manipulated without breaking the membrane and may be returned from raised position to lowered position.

United States Patent [191 Mullinix 51 May 27, 1975 PACKAGE CONSTRUCTION[22] Filed: Sept. 30, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 185,190

[52] U.S. Cl 229/43; 229/44 R; 426/121; 426/123 [51] Int. Cl B65d 43/10[58] Field of Search 229/43, 45, 44 R, 87 F; 99/171 LM, 171 TC, 174PP;426/121, 123

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,880,859 4/1959 Tupper229/43 X 3,219,253 11/1965 Davis 206/4531 3,233,819 2/l966 Flaherty229/43 3,298,505 l/l967 Stephenson 229/43 X 3,301,465 l/l967 Flaherty229/43 3,391,852 7/1968 Waldrop 229/43 X 3,464,832 9/1969 Mullinix99/171 TC Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Assistant ExaminerStephen P.Garbe Attorney, Agent, or FirmLearman & McCulloch [57] ABSTRACT Apackage for food or the like comprises an open top tray closed by atransparent membrane and an opaque panel overlying the membrane toprotect the trays contents from exposure to light. The cover panel isscored longitudinally from end to end adjacent one side edge so as toform a hinged edge portion of the panel which may be swung upwardlyrelative to the membrane from one side of the tray to permit thecontents at the one side of the tray to be inspected visually. The coverpanel is slitted to form an inspection flap swingable about the scoreline, but from the opposite side of the tray. Either or both of theswingable portions of the panel may be manipulated without breaking themembrane and may be returned from raised position to lowered position.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED FAY271975 SHEET FIGZ INVENTORCHARLES D. MULLINIX ATTORNEYS PATENTED $885,731

SHEET 2 9 INVENTOR CHARLES 0. MULLINIX I4 8 BY FIG; Mm

ATTORNEYS PACKAGE CONSTRUCTION The invention herein disclosed relates toa package construction especially adapted for use in the packaging offood such as sliced bacon in such manner as to protect the packagescontents from exposure to light and air, and yet permit a reasonableportion of the packages contents to be inspected visually.

The packaging of foodstuffs has many advantages, not the least of whichis the protection of the foodstuffs from contamination and deteriorationfrom exposure to light and air. Unfortunately, however, packagedfoodstuffs cannot be inspected thoroughly by a consumer prior topurchase without opening of the package. The opening of food packages isdiscouraged, of course, for the obvious reason of guarding againstcontamination and deterioration of the contents of the packages. As aconsequence, it is not uncommon for a customer to purchase a packagedfood only to learn, at a later time, that the contents of the package donot conform to the customers preference. The customer thus isdissatisfied and frequently makes a complaint. Such complaints areparticularly prevalent in connection with packaged sliced bacon.

Although bacon is a high fat content food, a large number of purchasersof bacon seem to prefer a high percentage of lean content in the bacon.In the commercial slicing of bacon the slicing machines arrangesuccessive strips in overlapping or shingled relation so as to exposeone edge of each slice, The shingling of the bacon slices is an inherentcharacteristic of the slicing machinery and is advantageous in that itenables a given quantity of bacon to be packed in a reasonable sizecontainer and still exposeto view a portion of each slice so as topermit a customer to see that each slice has at least some lean content.

Packages heretofore proposed for the packaging of bacon provide adequateprotection of the contents against exposure to light and contamination,and many' shingled strips of bacon or the like, raising of the flapstill limits inspection of the bacon to the exposed edges only of theshingled strips. If the exposed edge of each visible strip amounts toabout 10 percent only of the width of the strip, then about 90 percentof the width of the visible strips still is not viewable. Thus, it stillis possible for a customer to be dissatisfied with the contents of thepackage when the latter is eventually opened for preparation andconsumption of the food.

On object of this invention is to provide a food package which possessesall of the advantages of previously known packages for containingfoodstuffs and which enables a considerably more satisfactory inspectionof the contents to be obtained without opening of the package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a food package especiallyadapted for sliced, shingled bacon and which enables virtually theentire bacon slice at one side of the package to be viewed, withoutsubjecting the contents of the package to contamination or adverseexposure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a food package of thecharacter described which is little, if any, more expensive thanpackages heretofore proposed for similar purposes. Further objects andadvantages of the invention will be pointed out specifically or willbecome apparent from the following description when it is considered inconjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a package constructed in accordance withthe invention and illustrating inspection flaps incorporated in thecover in raised positions;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the cover;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a package constructed according to theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but with the cover panel removed;and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged sectional views taken on the lines 66 and 77,respectively, of FIG. 3.

Apackage according to the disclosed embodiment of the inventioncomprises an open top tray 1 of molded, resiliently flexible, preferablyplastic material such as polystyrene, the tray having a bottom 2 andupstanding, diverging, opposed side walls 3 and 4 and opposed end walls5 and 6. The upper edge of each wall has a laterally extending,horizontal seat 7 for a purpose presently to be described. At theperimeter of the seat 7 is an upstanding wall 8 which terminates in anoutwardly rolled flange 9. The wall 8 is provided at intervals withbeads 10 which overhang and are spaced from the seat 7. The beads 10 arediscontinuous for a purpose subsequently to be explained.

The tray 1 is adapted to contain any one of a number of food products.For purposes of illustration, however, the tray is disclosed ascontaining a plurality of bacon slices 11 arranged in overlapping orshingled relationship from the front wall 3 of the tray toward the rearwall 4, as is indicated in FIG. 4. The arrangement of the bacon stripsin the tray 1 is such that virtually the entire upper surface of thestrip 11. adjacent the wall 3 is visible, and the shingled relationshipof the slices is such that the upper edge of each of the other stripsalso is visible.

A cover assembly 12 is provided for the-open top of the tray andcomprises a flat, opaque panel 13 formed of a relatively stiff, butbendable or flexible material such as high impact styrene or paperboard,the upper surface of which preferably is capable of being printed. Thecover assembly also includes a transparent sheet or membrane 14 which isadhered to the lower surface of the panel 13 by adhesive or other meansin a manner hereinafter to be explained. The membrane 14 is formed of amaterial such as oriented polystyrene which may be heat sealed or weldedto the tray 1 in a manner and for a purpose presently to be explained.

The panel 13 is provided with a score line 16 extending longitudinallyfrom end-to-end of the panel and adjacent one side edge of the latter soas to form a hinged portion 17 which is swingable about the score line16. The panel preferably is provided with a pair of parallel slits 18extending from the score line 16 toward, but terminating short of, theopposite side edge of the panel, those ends of the slits 18 remote fromthe score line 16 being joined by a slit 19 so as to form a flap 20which also is swingable about the score line 16, but from the oppositeside of the panel. The area of the flap 20 may vary, but it preferablyis such as to enable a reasonable portion: of the contents of the trayto be inspected visually when the flap is raised.

The membrane 14 is secured to the lower surface of the panel 13'tomaintain the panel and membrane assembled prior to their beingfitted tothe open top of a filled tray, but to permit movement of the panel 13relative to the membrane 14 when desired without effecting inadvertentseparation of the panel and the membrane. These objectives may beobtained by providing dots 21 of releasable adhesive between the members13 and 14. The adhesive may be any one of a number of currentlyavailable adhesives, such as latex emulsions, pressure sensitiveadhesives, or wax.

The free edge of the swingable portion 17 of the closure panelpreferably is provided with a projecting tab 22 and, if desired, theopposite edge of the panel may have a recess 23 therein so as to avoidwaste in the production of the closure panels. If the recess 23 isincluded, then the corresponding edge of the tray wall 4 should includea molded portion 24 which may be accommodated in the recess.

To condition the apparatus for use, the tray is filled with the foodproduct whereupon the closure assembly 12 is fitted to the open top ofthe tray with the perimeter of the membrane 14 seated on the seat 7 ofthe tray. The membrane then may be heat sealed or welded to the tray ina conventional manner, for example, in the manner disclosed in US. Pat.No. 3,464,832. The welding of the membrane 14 to the tray seat 7 isindicated at 25 in FIG. 5.

When the cover assembly 12 is fitted to the open top of the tray theedges of the panel will engage the beads 10, but the upstanding wall 8is sufficiently flexible to enable the panel to cam the beads 10outwardly and permit the closure assembly to seat on the seat 7. Whenthe closure assembly is seated on the seat 7 the resiliency of the wall8 will cause the beads 10 to return to their original positions and inwhich they overlie the adjacent edges of the panel 13.

When the closure assembly 12 is seated on the tray seat 7, the tab 22occupies a position in which it may be grasped by the fingers of aperson. It is preferred that the wall 8 be reduced in height at the zoneof the tab 22 so as to provide a recess 26 for the accommodation of thetab.

' As has been stated earlier, the beads 10 are discontinuous. That is,they do not extend completely about the perimeter of the tray. As isbest shown in FIG. 1, the beads 10 at the upper edge of the front wall 3extend from opposite ends of the recess 26 toward, but terminate shortof, the opposite ends of the front wall 3. Each of the side walls and 6includes a bead which commences adjacent the score line 16 of the panel13 and extends toward, but terminates short of, the wall 4. The rearwall 4 has beads 10 which terminate short of the end of walls 5 and 6.

Packages constructed in accordance with the invention conventionally arearranged in stacked relation in a refrigerator case so as to beavailable to customers. A customer desiringto inspect the contents ofthe package may exert an upward pull on the tab 22 so as to cause thehingedpanel portion 17 to be swung upwardly about the score line 16. Thebeads 10 at the top of the front wall 3 and the adhesive dots 21adjacent the tab 22 provide yieldable resistance to the upward swingingof the panel portion 17, but do not prevent such movement. The adherencebetween the panel portion 17 and the membrane 14 at the-dots 21 is lessthan that between the membrane 14 and the tray, thereby enablingrelative movement of the portionl? and the membrane without breaking thelatter or unsealing the top of the tray. The beads 10 at the upper endsof the side walls 5 and 6, coupled with the adhesive dots 21 adjacentthe score line 16, will cooperate to facilitate swinging of the panelportion 17 along the score line 16, thereby avoiding inadvertent raisingof the entire panel 13.

When the hinged portion 17 has been swung up wardly, as is indicated infull lines in FIG. 1 and in d0tted lines in FIG. 4, the contents of thepackage adjacent the front wall 3 of the tray may be viewed through thetransparent membrane 14. If the tray contains bacon, substantially theentire length and width of the first strip 11 will be visible.

If the customer is satisfied with the appearance of the contents of thetray adjacent the front wall of the latter and desires furtherinspection of the contents, the flap 20 may be swung upwardly about thescore line 16 to permit visual inspection of the central portion of thetrays contents through the transparent membrane 14.

If the customer is not satisfied with the appearance of the trayscontents, or decides for some other reason not to purchase the package,the panel portions 17 and 20 may be returned to their original positionsso as to prevent exposure of the trays contents to light.

When the trays contents are to be removed, the panel 13 may be swungupwardly by means of the tab 22 so as-to remove it from beneath thebeads 10. If the adhesive dots 21 constitute the only means securing thepanel and membrane together, the relative weakness of the panel-membraneadherence as compared to the membrane-tray adherence will enable thepanel 13 to separate from the membrane, whereupon the latter may be cutopen. If desired, however, the panelmembrane adherence may be madestronger than the membrane-tray adherence along the edge of the coveropposite the tab 22 by the provision of a band 27 of a non-releasablecement or adhesive between the membrane and the panel 13. In thisconstruction upward movement of the entire panel will cause the membraneto be stripped off the tray, thereby exposing the contentsof the latter.

The disclosed embodiment is representative of a presently preferred formof the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather thandefinitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A cover construction for a food package or the like comprising atransparent membrane; an opaque panel having opposite sides and endsoverlying said membrane, said panel having between its sides a scoreline adjacent one side thereof and extending from one end to theopposite end to form a hinged edge portion between said score line andsaid one side of said panel, said hinged edge portion being swingableabout said score line, said panel having a first slit between itsopposite ends and extending along a line located between said score lineand the opposite side of said panel and substantially parallel to butspaced from said score line, said panel also having slits at oppositeends of said first slit and extending to said score line to form ahinged flap swingable about said score line; and means adhering saidpanel to said membrane at selected zones to permit swinging movement ofsaid hinged edge portion and of said flap relative to said membrane.

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 including a tab carried by andprojecting from said hinged edge portion along said side of said panelto facilitate swinging of said portion.

3. A package construction for food or the like comprising an open toptray having a bottom and upstanding opposite side and end walls providedwith seats adjacent their upper ends; a transparent membrane seated onsaid seats and forming a closure for the open top of said tray; a coverpanel having an area at least as great as that of the open top of saidtray and overlying said membrane, said panel having a score linesubstantially parallel to but spaced from one wall of said tray to forma hinged edge portion of said panel swingable upwardly relative to saidmembrane about said score line, whereby the contents of said trayadjacent said one wall thereof may be viewed through said membrane;adhesive means securing said panel to said membrane adjacent said scoreline between the latter and the opposite wall of said tray; adhesivemeans securing said panel to said membrane adjacent said opposite wallof said tray, the adhesion between said panel and said membrane adjacentsaid opposite wall being greater than the adhesion between said paneland said membrane adjacent said score line; and retaining bead meanscarried by said walls and overlying portions of said panel for retainingsaid panel in overlying relation to said membrane, said bead means beingdiscontinuous at opposite ends of said hinged edge portion of said panelfrom said score line to said one wall of said tray.

4. The construction set forth in claim 3 wherein a flap is formed by apair of substantially parallel, spaced apart-slits in said panelextending from said score line toward the wall opposite said one wall ofsaid tray, the slits of said pair of slits terminating short of saidopposite wall and being joined by a third slit spaced from said scoreline.

5. The construction set forth in claim 3 wherein said membrane is sealedto said seats about the perimeter of said top.

1. A cover construction for a food package or the like comprising atransparent membrane; an opaque panel having opposite sides and endsoverlying said membrane, said panel having between its sides a scoreline adjacent one side thereof and extending from one end to theopposite end to form a hinged edge portion between said score line andsaid one side of said panel, said hinged edge portion being swingableabout said score line, said panel having a first slit between itsopposite ends and extending along a line located between said score lineand the opposite side of said panel and substantially parallel to butspaced from said score line, said panel also having slits at oppositeends of said first slit and extending to said score line to form ahinged flap swingable about said score line; and means adhering saidpanel to said membrane at selected zones to permit swinging movement ofsaid hinged edge portion and of said flap relative to said membrane. 2.The construction set forth in claim 1 including a tab carried by andprojecting from said hinged edge portion along said side of said panelto facilitate swinging of said portion.
 3. A package construction forfood or the like comprising an open top tray having a bottom andupstanding opposite side and end walls provided with seats adjacenttheir upper ends; a transparent membrane seated on said seats andforming a closure for the open top of said tray; a cover panel having anarea at least as great as that of the open top of said tray andoverlying said membrane, said panel having a score line substantiallyparallel to but spaced from one wall of said tray to form a hinged edgeportion of said panel swingable upwardly relative to said membrane aboUtsaid score line, whereby the contents of said tray adjacent said onewall thereof may be viewed through said membrane; adhesive meanssecuring said panel to said membrane adjacent said score line betweenthe latter and the opposite wall of said tray; adhesive means securingsaid panel to said membrane adjacent said opposite wall of said tray,the adhesion between said panel and said membrane adjacent said oppositewall being greater than the adhesion between said panel and saidmembrane adjacent said score line; and retaining bead means carried bysaid walls and overlying portions of said panel for retaining said panelin overlying relation to said membrane, said bead means beingdiscontinuous at opposite ends of said hinged edge portion of said panelfrom said score line to said one wall of said tray.
 4. The constructionset forth in claim 3 wherein a flap is formed by a pair of substantiallyparallel, spaced apart slits in said panel extending from said scoreline toward the wall opposite said one wall of said tray, the slits ofsaid pair of slits terminating short of said opposite wall and beingjoined by a third slit spaced from said score line.
 5. The constructionset forth in claim 3 wherein said membrane is sealed to said seats aboutthe perimeter of said top.